I'll be home for Christmas
by MODWOMAN22
Summary: Pete is hurt, lost and alone in the city. Will Linc, Julie and Captain Greer find hm in time?
1. Chapter 1

Undercover cop Pete Cochrane smiled at his friends. They were at Julie's apartment celebrating an early Christmas. A light rain fell on the windows and everyone was glowing except him.

The apartment smelled of pine and pumpkin. Julie had made a pumpkin pie; her small tree had flicking colored lights and a few paper ornaments. Perry Como was singing "White Christmas" played softly in the background. It was a Kodak moment, Pete thought.

"Man, Pete are you sure you don't want to come home with me. My mama makes a mean pumpkin pie." Link said and grinned. This was his third time to convince Pete to spend Christmas with his overcrowded family.

Pete shook his head and blushed. He shifted uncomfortably on the couch, Christmas just wasn't his thing. Every year he would try to talk to his parents and every year they ended up fighting. The whole day had turned out to be a big drag and let down.

"Man its okay Linc, really." Pete snorted. "I'm cool." He held up his hands, begging for mercy from Linc.

"You could come with me." Julie smiled as she pushed her long blonde hair behind her ear. "I'm sure my mother wouldn't mind." Her smile infectious, Pete returned the smile.

"No man." Pete shook his head. "Three's a crowd. Really I'll be okay." He tried to reassure his friends, no they were family.

Julie and Linc looked at each other, giving that look Pete hated.

"Like I said I'm cool, really." Pete grinned, but played with the ring on his left hand.

"Solid." Linc said. "I'm hungry. Where's the captain?"

The doorbell rang and Julie sprang up.

"I know. Ask who they are before opening the door." Julie stood in front of the door.

"Who's there?"

"Who's there? Who's there? It's me who else do you expect." Adam Greer groused.


	2. Chapter 2

6 Months Later

Linc nodded to his partner as they waited at the warehouse. He had a radio in his jacket pocket and waited for the signal. It was two am, the witching hour for robberies. He leaned against the building, exhausted as his new partner always wanted to be on a new case or maybe it was a new high. God he missed Pete's quietness.

Linc watched as the dark blue van pulled up, three men in white coveralls exited the rear door and made their way into the warehouse. At least their information had been solid as he watched and waited. Chad had a lit cigarette and it was only the light, save the waning moon. Once he saw the men start to load up the van, Linc called it in.

His blonde haired partner nodded and Linc called the police backup. Plainclothes and uniformed cops surrounded the warehouse. The robbers still had the TV's and stereos in their hands when the cops got them.

Seeing their job was done, Chad and Linc headed towards the Charger.

"Hold on a moment." A voice punched the darkness.

Both men turned to see their boss. Dressed in a suit, Captain Adam Greer smiled broadly.

"Good job guys." Greer patted the two undercover cops on the back. "Now get out of here."

Both men nodded and headed towards the Charger. Once in the car, Chad gunned the engine and they tore out of the parking lot.

"So that was a pretty good bust huh." The blonde haired man said.

"Yeah. I guess." Linc said and shrugged. "But anyway, it's late and I'm tired."

"What no drink to celebrate?" His partner said.

"No, Chad I'm not in the mood for a drink. Just take me home." Linc sat stiffly in the car.

"Man you are no fun. Both you and Julie. I thought you were swinging cops."

Linc remained quiet on the ride home.

"See ya tomorrow in the captain's office?" Chad asked.

"Yes I'll see you tomorrow." Linc waved and made his way into his apartment. Flipping on the light, he made his way to his bedroom, changed to his pajamas and slid into bed, but not before touching his book of "Tale of Two Cities."

%%%%%%%

Julie sat in between Chad and Linc. Greer stood behind his overloaded desk, files, photos and paper littered his desk. A lit cigarette was in the ashtray and a Styrofoam cup of coffee was near it. Tenseness filled the air.

"Good work out there." Greer smiled and winked at Julie and then looked seriously at Linc and Chad.

"Well it helps when the talk on the street is solid." Linc said as he crossed his legs and clasped his hands in his lap. His dark glasses hid his bloodshot eyes and dark circles.

"So Chad how is it going with these two?" Greer pointed to Linc and Julie.

"Well Captain. I have big shoes to fill. I mean all these guys do is talk about Pete." Chad lamented and shook his head.

Greer sat down and sighed. "Ya well Pete Cochrane was a hell of cop." Greer picked up a file and thumbed through it.

"Yes he was." Linc stated. "And a hell of a man too."

Julie cleared her throat. "Yes, Pete cared about everyone, even the people we busted." She wiped a tear from her eyes.

"Yeah well, fill out your reports and go home." Greer looked at his team.


	3. Chapter 3

"Man." Linc shook his head with his hands under his arms. The rain was coming down steadily and the alley water smelled of rotten eggs and feces. It was another night of waiting, supposedly a big drug deal had gone down and his supplier was the link to the big man. The street lights were broken and the rain just wouldn't let up.

Looking around the corner he sure hoped Chad was where he was supposed to be. The buy was supposed to go down and so far the dealer was a half hour late. He wished he could depend on Chad, but it just wasn't happening. Pete was a man who had his back.

Linc watched as a man, who stayed in the shadows walked towards him. He tensed up internally but tried to remain calm. It happened in a flash, one minute he stood there and watched as the dealer pulled a gun.

"LINC." A shout wailed.

Then Linc was on the wet ground, a dirty, smelly grungy man lay on top of him. The man didn't seem to be that heavy, but the stench made him want to throw up.

"Linc you okay man?" Chad asked as he watched the dealer run away.

Linc coughed. "Yeah want to get this dude off of me?" He found his arms pinned and turned his head.

"Um, sure." Chad kneeled down and rolled the man off of Linc.

Linc sat up and looked at the man, then noticed a growing dark spot on his clothes.

"Call an ambulance." Linc ordered as he watched Chad run towards the Charger.

Linc looked at the man in the semi darkness. There was something about his face that looked familiar, but he couldn't place it. The man's beard, hair and moustache were matted and dirty. His rescuer's clothes were also stained and dirty, but there was something and how did the guy know his name. He didn't have time to think as he heard the wail of the siren.

The man groaned and turned his head towards him.

"It's going to be okay. Help is on the way." Linc put pressure on the man's wound.

"Linc. Linc." The stranger groaned.


End file.
